Film Review: Bad Santa

About the film

Bad Santa is a Christmas dark comedy film that was released in 2003. The film has three different lengths:

Theatrical - 91 minutes

Directors - 88 minutes

Unrated - 98 minutes

Bad Santa is rated 15 due to extremely bad language and strong sexual content as well as violence. The film had a budget of $18 million and went on to make over $76 million worldwide.

Plot

Every year, Willie digs out his Santa suit and attempts to make a living with his partner Marcus, the elf. The pair go around the states and go to a different department store each year but they aren't any ordinary Santa and elf. Willie and Marcus make their living by robbing the store that they are working at each year, making enough money to make sure that they don't have to work for the rest of the year. Willie is mean, not getting any younger and a drunk. He spends most of his free time drinking and getting as many women as possible so when Christmas time comes round again, he isn't exactly is the right frame of mind, or state to work again. Marcus has to knock some sense into him to make sure that he can get enough money to give his wife a good life...the one that she is now accustomed to.

At their current store, Willie comes across a chubby (and dirty) young boy who he soon befriends when he learns that only his old grandma who barely notices anything is the only one at home. Willie moves in with Thurman and fully takes advantage of a free place to stay along with the use of a car.

With Willie's crazy and bad behaviour while he is at work, the head of security soon becomes wary and he intends to keep a close eye on the pair. Surely Christmas can’t always go so smoothly?

What I thought

Although this isn't a typical Christmas film, it is my all-time favourite. The thing that I love the most about it is the fact that it doesn't make Santa out to be anything that he isn't. This Santa is very real and not the cuddly, nice old man that all the other stories make him out to be. Billy Bob Thornton is absolutely amazing as Willie. Everything about him is fantastic and it pains me to say how much of a good sleazy drunk he is. Who knows if this is from experience or not but who cares? Thornton has amazing talent in order to be able to pull off this unconventional Santa. I do kind of wish that Santa was a bit hotter to justify the women that he gets but maybe they're just attracted to sleazy and disgusting.

There wasn't really anyone that I didn't like in this film. The little boy made me scream with laughter, especially when he cuts his hand open (I know that sounds so mean). It is very rare that I laugh this much at a film but I am nearly crying every single time that I watch it. The humour is really crude and disgusting at times but that is what makes the film what it is.

This is very much a joke film because it makes fun at Christmas and Santa so much. Bad Santa pretty much says that Christmas is all about material things but it does try to have a real meaning in there somewhere. The basic moral of the story is that you should try and better yourself no matter who or what it takes and you should give people who you wouldn't normally, a chance. Instead of a slushy, lovey dovey Christmas movie, this one manages to send out a message using humour to do it. I cant even remember there being a Christmas carol in the whole film.

This is my all time favourite Christmas film because it is like no other. When you begin to watch the film it will have you thinking 'what the hell is this' but give it 10-15 minutes and you will realise what you are in for. Not recommended for anyone who cant deal with crude comedy.